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Dorothea Jensen

A Buss from Lafayette

Synopsis

SOMETIMES ONE LITTLE KISS CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY ONE FROM A WORLD FAMOUS HERO OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION! Now available in print, digital, and audio editions.
Gold Medalist (Middle School/Historical Fiction) Literary Classics Award; 1st Place Winner (Historical Fiction) Purple Dragonfly Book Awards; Bronze Medalist (Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction) eLit Awards; Finalist, (Historical Fiction) Red City Book Awards; Quarter Finalist (Middle Grade) Booklife Prize; Finalist (Young Adult) Book Excellence Awards. Also named on the Grateful American Kids website as one of the best history book for kids to read. Clever young Clara Hargraves has a couple of big problems. First of all, she has a new stepmother, formerly her old maid schoolteacher aunt, who keeps trying to make Clara behave like a lady. Secondly, she has red hair, which means she is constantly teased, especially by an older boy, Dickon, and her beautiful cousin, Hetty. During the last week of June, 1825, Clara's small New Hampshire town is buzzing about the upcoming visit to the state by the Revolutionary War hero, General Lafayette. Could an unexpected playful kiss from a charming, world-famous Frenchman change Clara's life forever?

Author Biography

Dorothea Jensen was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Chillicothe, Illinois. She majored in English at Carleton College and earned an MA in Secondary Education at the University of New Mexico. She has served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South America, taught middle and high school English, tutored refugees in ESL, and written grant proposals for various arts organizations
Her first historical novel for young readers, THE RIDDLE OF PENNCROFT FARM, was named an IRA Teachers' Choice Selection soon after publication. It has been used as an enrichment resource in classrooms all over the U.S. for many years.
Dorothea's second such novel, A BUSS FROM LAFAYETTE, is set in 1825 in the small town in New Hampshire where she has lived since 1991. It has won a number of awards, detailed in its book description on this site.
Dorothea is working on a new story set in 17th century Massachusetts called A SCALP ON THE MOON.
Dorothea also writes modern Christmas stories in verse. Modeled on the 19th century classic poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" these award-winning Santa's Izzy Elves story poems feature decidedly 21st century elves savvy in modern technology.

Author Insight

Granite Staters at Brandywine

Since my story takes place in New Hampshire, where I live, I was delighted to learn that New Hampshire troops took part in the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. New Hampshireman Major General Sullivan, believed early reports that the British were NOT coming up on the other side of Brandywine Creek for a surprise attack from behind the American troops. But they were, and the troops which the "lobsterbacks" attacked were Sullivan's own men. It was these men whom Lafayette rushed into his first ever battle to rally. (Of course, New Hampshire was not called The Granite State until Lafayette came back fifty years later on his Farewell Tour. A song composed in his honor was the first time it was called The Granite State.

Book Excerpt

A Buss from Lafayette

Mr. Towne spoke up. “Yes, that does sounds like Lafayette, who was as good-humored as he was courageous. Or so I understand. A New Hampshire man who fought at the Battle of Brandywine told me how Lafayette rushed to help our General Sullivan’s troops when they were outflanked by the Lobsterbacks.”

“What are Lobsterbacks?” I asked.

Mr. Towne explained that this term referred to British soldiers, whom we Americans had called “Redcoats” or “Lobsterbacks” because of their scarlet uniforms.